The present invention relates to a derivative of the antibiotic XK-62-2 and more specifically to the derivative identified as 1-N-(.alpha.-hydroxy-.beta.-aminopropionyl) XK-62-2 and the production thereof. In the present invention the derivative may be in D-, L- or DL-form.
Briefly stated, as disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 364,058, antibiotic XK-62-2 is produced by culturing actinomycetes suh as Micromonospora sagamiensis, Micromonospora echinospora and Micromonospora purpurea by methods usually employed in the culturing of actinomycetes. More specifically, strains of the above-mentioned microorganisms such as Micromonospora sagamiensis ATCC 21826, ATCC 21827, ATCC 21803 and ATCC 21949 are inoculated into a liquid medium containing a carbon source which the microorganism can utilize such as sugars, hydrocarbons, alcohols, organic acids, etc.; inorganic or organic nitrogen sources and inorganic salts and growth promoting factors and are cultured at 25.degree.-40.degree. C. for 2 to 12 days until substantial antibacterial activity is detected in the culture liquor. Isolation and purification of XK-62-2 is carried out by a combination of adsorption and desorption from ion exchange resins and active carbon and column chromatography using cellulose, Sephadex, alumina and silica gel. In this manner, XK-62-2 can be obtained in the form of a salt or as a free base.
XK-62-2 is a basic substance and is obtained as a white powder. XK-62-2 has a molecular formula of C.sub.20 H.sub.41 N.sub.5 O.sub.7, and a molecular weight of 463. The substance is freely soluble in water and methanol, slightly soluble in ethanol and acetone and insoluble in chloroform, benzene, ethyl acetate and n-hexane.